Car-starter



(Isl-o` Model.)

B. G. FITZHUGH Y Car" Starter.

m1231264. Patentedarab.1,1881.

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i UNITED STATES PATENT @Emea BENJAMIN e. EITZHUGH, E BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

CAR-STARTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 237,264, dated February 1, 1881.

Application filed November 30, 1880. (No model.)

and it has for its object to simplify the construction of the car-startin g mechanism, to increase its efciency, to lessen the noise, and to combine with the said mechanisma trigger for holding the starting-pawl out of gear, and a' locking-pawl, which latter subserves a most important end.

In the case of vehicles (and this is especially trueof street-cars, whether equipped with starters or not) being stopped on an upgrade, it is necessary for the driver to set the brakes to prevent the vehicle from running back, and to release the brakes as soon as, in his judgment, the draft of the team is great enough to start the vehicle. Obviously, a draw-bar starter will not return to cause its pawl to engage with the ratchet while there is any material draft upon it, so that the application of the brakes in stopping on a grade is an absolute necessity if the aid of the starter is to be invoked in moving the car. It willnot do at all to allow the pawl to engage as soon as the car comes to rest, and then permit the car to run back to the extent permitted by the draw-bar, as such a course would inevitably result in the destruction of the starter. It could not be practically constructed strong enough to stand 4o the strain and jar. Besides this, it would be Very difficult to make the team back at the precise moment that the car comesto rest, as would be necessary in order to allow the drawbar to return, and the clicking andV noise of the pawl would be very annoying. I obviate this by providing the pawl-lever with a trigger which holds the pawl out of gear, and by adapting an independent pawl to the ratchet, which locks the latter the instant the car comes Both 5o to rest and allows the lever to drop.

trigger and pawl are operated by foot-levers mounted on the front platform.

In the drawings, A is the bottom of the car;

B, the draw-bar, having buffers a l, which bring up, respectively, against the car-front and the draw-bar sleeve andprevent noise. A ratchet,

m, is keyed on the axle E, and D is the lever, carrying a bent lever-pawl, c, that engages with the ratchet. The front end of the lever is bifurcated and ein/braces the axle, having 6o jaws d, as shown. C is the chain', which passes over a pulley, c, and is attached to the drawbar by means of a rod, b. The triggerfis pivoted at G and carries a counterpoise, g, the effect of which is to cause the lower end of the trigger to press against the pin F on the lever D. The trigger has a shoulder, f', that engages thc pin F when the lever D is raised.

H is a rod conneetin g the trigger with a footlever, h, that is pivoted above the front plat- 7o form, as shown. A second pawl,j, is pivoted beneath the car, and is adapted to engage with the ratchet m, but is normally held out of gear by means of a lever, J that is connected with a second foot-lever, I, by a rod, i. A spring, if, or a counterpoise on the front end of the lever I, serves to normally depress the said end and hold the pawl j out of gear with the ratchet.` The entire mechanism beneath the car is inclosed in a casing, N, having its lower 8o portionm, formed of canvas or equivalent fabric, the design being to protect the mechanism from dirt or dust, while not inclosing it below in a rigid box, which would be liable to be injured by stones or inequalities of the road-bed. 8 5 Such is the construction of the device.

In operation, as the barB is drawn forward, the pawl e engages the ratchet and enforces a partial revolution of the axle, starting the car. As the lever rises the arm e of the pawl abuts 9c against the under side of the car at a point, by preference, armed with a rubber cushion, o, to prevent noise, and throws the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet. A slight further rise ofthe lever allows the shoulder f to fall beneath the pin F, when the lever is securely held in its raised position. When the car is stopped on an upgrade the driver depresses the end of the lever I as the car comes to rest, causing the pawlj to engage with the ratchet 10o rises automatically. The parts are shown in l the accompanying drawingin the position they occupy just previous to the starting of the car.

By the described device a great relief is afv forded as well to the driver as to the team. No necessity exists for using the brakes on an upgrade, except it be desired to stop the car quickly. They need not be held to the wheels after the car comes to rest, and all the straining and tugging of the team against the resistance of the car, too frequently augmented by the brakes as now used, are obviated. Be thedriver never so careful, he is bound to hold the car until the draft will start it, (and in practice this point is necessarily exceeded more or less,) or ifhe does not he will find the ve- -hicle running downgrade in spite of his team. In either case the force absolutely required to start the carin opposition to gravity alone is greatly exceeded.

l. In a car-starter, a ratchet mounted upon the axle, in combination with a lever carrying a pawl that is automatically thrown out of gear as the lever is raised, and a second pawl adapted, as the car comes to rest, to lock the ratchet and permit the lever to fall, as set forth.

2. In a car-starter, a ratchet mounted on the axle, in combination with a lever carrying va pawl that is automatically thrown out of gear as the lever is raised, and a trigger or catch for :retaining the lever in its raised position, as set forth.

3. In a car-starter, a ratchet mounted on the axle, in combination with a lever carrying a pawl that is automatically thrown out of gear as the lever is raised, and a trigger or catch for retaining the lever in its raised position, and a secondpawl, normally out of gear with the ratchet, but adapted to engage it as the car comes to rest, as set forth.

4. In combination with the ratchet, lever, and bent leverepawl, the counterpoised trigger fand operating mechanism, as set forth.

5. The combination of a ratchetmounted on the axle, a pawl pivoted to the car-body, and mechanism for holding the pawl out of gear with the ratchet, and for causing it to engage therewith as the car comes to rest, as set forth.

6. ln combination with the ratchet mounted ou the axle, vthe pawl j, pivoted to the car-body, and a foot-lever above the platform adapted, by means of intermediate mechanism, to operate the pawl, as set forth.

7. In a car-starter, the combination, with .the ratchet, lever D, pawls, and draw-bar, ofthe levers h I and trigger f,`as set forth.

8. In combination with the draw-bar and sleeve, the buffers a Z, adapted to cushion the strokes of the draw-bar, as set forth.

9. A carstarter mechanism inclosed in a casing having its lower portion constructed of canvas or equivalent yielding material,where by injury to the same from inequalities of roadbed is avoided, as set forth.

BENJAMIN G. FI'IZHU-GH.

Attest:

It. D. WILLIAMS, O. H. ARMSTRONG. 

